Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Don't believe all this talk about reforming the filibuster rules. This happens all the time whenever one group is filibustering what the majority wants. And it always comes to nothing.

Chief Justice tells an audience that he found the scene engineered by the President at the State of the Union where his words led Democrats to stand and cheer words against the Supreme Court while they were expected to sit there silently "very troubling." Think of the outrage if Bush and the Republicans had carried on in such a way. And Roberts also criticizes the political posturing by senators as they ask questions in nomination hearings that they know that the nominee cannot answer.

Scott Rasmussen and Doug Schoen write today that the poll numbers on health care have barely moved since this summer. And they explain the antipathy that the public has to the Democratic proposal is based on their fear of government spending. Expect the Democrats to make a push to try to persuade people that creating a new entitlement will somehow decrease government spending.The Democrats fear having their health care bill linger into the Spring Break because members might be persuaded by vocal protests against the bill as they go back to their districts. Having to hear from the people: oh no! We can't have that. Suddenly, the Democrats pretend to be listening to a new silent majority that isn't out their protesting but who deep down supports their bill. The only problem is that these silent supporters are not a majority.

Public schools in New York are having to work hard to market themselves to parents since they're losing students to charters. Isn't that part of what reformers have hoped: that competition from charters would force the regular public schools to step up. First come the marketing efforts, but next will come efforts to reform their actual teaching. This is what we want. Competition can benefit not only sports teams but educational programs.